Mayoral Candidates Spar Over Downtown Parking

[Markham]

Hi guys

Well, downtown parking's going to be a big issue during the civic election. Here's our story on the Calgary Parking Authority.

http://www.calgarybeacon.com/2010/04/video-mayoral-candidates-spar-over-downtown-parking/

And here's my op-ed piece wondering if we should just blow up the CPA and have free parking downtown.

http://www.calgarybeacon.com/2010/04/time-to-blow-up-the-calgary-parking-authority/

Markham

[rage2]

As nice as free is, free downtown parking would never work. You'd never be able to find parking space anywhere. Downtown employees would take over all the spots (being there early in the mornings) and make things even worse for businesses downtown. Everyone would hate going downtown for shopping, dinner, because there would never be any empty parking spots.

[GOnSHO]

i dont think it needs to be free..

i think it just needs to be cheaper and free for motorcycles :D

[Weapon_R]

Free would be a retarded idea for the reasons Rage mentioned. Having the prices slashed in half, and allowing the CPA to ticket to make up for lost revenues (even in private lots) would be the easiest way to even everything out. `

[redline]

you need more spots also, cause the city has been taking away parking and demand is going up...

They need vastly improve the shit transit in this city

[japan_us]

Originally posted by GOnSHO
... and free for motorcycles :D

Uh oh!

In before the ruckus.

[MGCM]

Originally posted by rage2
As nice as free is, free downtown parking would never work. You'd never be able to find parking space anywhere. Downtown employees would take over all the spots (being there early in the mornings) and make things even worse for businesses downtown. Everyone would hate going downtown for shopping, dinner, because there would never be any empty parking spots.

IMHO having a mall downtown was the DUMBEST IDEA EVER Downtown is already a PITA to drive in even on a slow weekday afternoon. The point of downtown was to have OFFICES not malls, not 1000's places to eat......don't get me wrong, 100 places to eat isn't a bad idea but really I will never understand the "need" that ppl seem to have that requires at least 100,000 ppl downtown at all times. Wouldn't it make sense to put your business where ppl have easy access? Cheeper rent? Cheeper entry fee's?? Cheeper everything if your NOT in downtown. I think downtown is overrated and ppl need to wake the fuck up and realize this. Downtown needs to be broken up and all the exciting pubs/bars/clubs malls ect ect moved out of downtown leaving LESS traffic during rush hour going in and out of downtown.

As always, all IMHO, if ppl were to follow my idea then the city wouldn't need to have expensive parking downtown at all and it could ALL be free,traffic would flow better, and overall ppl would be happier.

[Lex350]

Originally posted by MGCM


IMHO having a mall downtown was the DUMBEST IDEA EVER Downtown is already a PITA to drive in even on a slow weekday afternoon. The point of downtown was to have OFFICES not malls, not 1000's places to eat......don't get me wrong, 100 places to eat isn't a bad idea but really I will never understand the "need" that ppl seem to have that requires at least 100,000 ppl downtown at all times. Wouldn't it make sense to put your business where ppl have easy access? Cheeper rent? Cheeper entry fee's?? Cheeper everything if your NOT in downtown. I think downtown is overrated and ppl need to wake the fuck up and realize this. Downtown needs to be broken up and all the exciting pubs/bars/clubs malls ect ect moved out of downtown leaving LESS traffic during rush hour going in and out of downtown.

As always, all IMHO, if ppl were to follow my idea then the city wouldn't need to have expensive parking downtown at all and it could ALL be free,traffic would flow better, and overall ppl would be happier.

This is so full of fail I don't know where to start. :dunno:

[whiskas]

Originally posted by MGCM


IMHO having a mall downtown was the DUMBEST IDEA EVER Downtown is already a PITA to drive in even on a slow weekday afternoon. The point of downtown was to have OFFICES not malls, not 1000's places to eat......don't get me wrong, 100 places to eat isn't a bad idea but really I will never understand the "need" that ppl seem to have that requires at least 100,000 ppl downtown at all times. Wouldn't it make sense to put your business where ppl have easy access? Cheeper rent? Cheeper entry fee's?? Cheeper everything if your NOT in downtown. I think downtown is overrated and ppl need to wake the fuck up and realize this. Downtown needs to be broken up and all the exciting pubs/bars/clubs malls ect ect moved out of downtown leaving LESS traffic during rush hour going in and out of downtown.

As always, all IMHO, if ppl were to follow my idea then the city wouldn't need to have expensive parking downtown at all and it could ALL be free,traffic would flow better, and overall ppl would be happier.

People actually live in downtown. And we chose to live here not only because we're close to work but we're also close to all the exclusive amenities that people from the suburbs spend a lot of time driving to.

This is one of the many things people sacrifice when they decide to buy a wooden home in a cookie cutter neighborhood in the middle of buttfuck no where. You saved money and probably have a big house. Whereas I have a smaller place than you, but I'm OK with that because there's so much to do around my place I don't have to spend as much time in it. Oh and I don't have to waste time driving there either.

It's a lifestyle choice. One that we both made.

As far as parking goes... parking should be free after 6pm, and all day saturday and sunday as well as holidays. This solves the issue with the bulk of downtown workers. Downtown residents should be entitled to getting parking tags that allow them to park for free in their neighborhood, just like every other neighborhood in calgary.

[atgilchrist]

Originally posted by rotten42


This is so full of fail I don't know where to start. :dunno:

:werd:

There are lots of amenities downtown because it is central to everyone. And people going shopping in the evening, and out at night, is not the reason that parking is limited and expenseive, and traffic is bad. 100,000+ people living out of the core and driving in to work is.